The 211th Infantry Brigade was a Home Defence formation of the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Origin

The brigade was formed for service in the United Kingdom on 11 October 1940 by No 11 Infantry Training Group in the South West Area of Southern Command. Initially under the name of 211th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) it was composed of newly raised battalions.

Composition

The composition of 211 Brigade was as follows:Joslen, p. 374 *As part of the Devon and Cornwall County Division ** 11th Battalion,

Devonshire Regiment The Devonshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that served under various titles and served in many wars and conflicts from 1685 to 1958, such as the Second Boer War, the World War I, First World War and the World War II, ...

''(until 30 November 1941)'' ** 10th Battalion,

East Surrey Regiment The East Surrey Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1959. The regiment was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot, the 70th ( ...

''(until 30 November 1941)'' ** 9th Battalion,

Somerset Light Infantry The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army, which served under various titles from 1685 to 1959. In 1959, the regiment was amalgamated with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry to form the Som ...

''(until 19 May 1941)'' ** 14th Battalion,

Royal Warwickshire Regiment The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, previously titled the 6th Regiment of Foot, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in continuous existence for 283 years. The regiment saw service in many conflicts and wars, including the Second Boer War ...

''(22 June- 3 October 1941)'' *As part of the 77th Infantry Division ** 11th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment ''(1 December 1941 – 20 September 1942)'' ** 10th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment ''(1 December 1941 – 2 January 1943)'' ** 13th Battalion,

Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) was a line infantry regiment of the English and later the British Army from 1661 to 1959. It was the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, behind only the Royal Scots in the British Arm ...

''(20 September 1942 – 2 January 1943)'' ** 2/6th Battalion,

Lancashire Fusiliers The Lancashire Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that saw distinguished service through many years and wars, including the Second Boer War, and the World War I, First and World War II, Second World Wars. It had many diffe ...

''(5 October 1942 – 2 January 1943)'' *As part of the 80th (Reserve) Division ** 13th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) ''(3 January 1943 – 20 July 1944)'' ** 2/6th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers ''(3 January 1943 – 25 October 1943)'' ** 7th Battalion,

Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army based in the county of Kent in existence from 1881 to 1961. The regiment was created on 1 July 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms, originally as the Queen' ...

''(5 January 1943 – 20 April 1944)'' ** 8th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment ''(3 November 1943 – 23 July 1944)'' ** 12th Battalion,

Royal Fusiliers The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in continuous existence for 283 years. It was known as the 7th Regiment of Foot until the Childers Reforms of 1881. The regiment served in many war ...

''(17 September 1943 – 21 July 1944)'' ** 5th Battalion,

King's Shropshire Light Infantry The King's Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in the Childers Reforms of 1881, but with antecedents dating back to 1755. It served in the Second Boer War, World War I, World War II and Korea ...

''(from 20 July 1944 – 31 August 1944)'' ** 8th Battalion,

Worcestershire Regiment The Worcestershire Regiment was a line infantry regiment in the British Army, formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 29th (Worcestershire) Regiment of Foot and the 36th (Herefordshire) Regiment of Foot. The regiment ...

''(25 July 1944 – 31 August 1944)'' ** 8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment ''(22 July 1944 – 31 August 1944)'' **

9th (Caernarvonshire and Anglesey) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers The 6th (Caernarvonshire & Anglesey) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers, was a Wales, Welsh unit of the British Army's auxiliary forces. Formed in 1908, from Volunteer Force, Volunteer units that dated back to 1860, it fought at Gallipoli campaign, ...

''(23 July 1944 – 31 August 1944)'' *As part of the 38th (Reserve) Division (renamed the 114th Infantry Brigade) ** 5th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry ''(from 1 September 1944)'' ** 8th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment ''(from 1 September 1944)'' ** 8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment ''(from 1 September 1944)'' ** 9th (Caernarvonshire and Anglesey) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers ''(from 1 September 1944)''

Commanders

The commanders of 211 Brigade were: * Brigadier C.H. Woodhouse (until 1 September 1941) * Brigadier T. Fairfax-Ross (1 September 1941 – 4 August 1944) * Brigadier P.N. White (from 4 August 1944)

Service

On 28 February 1941, HQ South West Area formed

Devon and Cornwall County Division The Devon and Cornwall County Division was a British County Divisions, County Division of the British Army created during the World War II, Second World War. It was formed on 28 February 1941, from recently recruited soldiers, in response to the ...

, which included the brigade. On 1 December 1941, the County Division was redesignated

77th Infantry Division 77th Division or 75th Infantry Division may refer to: *77th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht), Germany * 77th Infantry Division of Khurasan, Iran * 77th Division (Imperial Japanese Army) * 77th Division (People's Republic of China) *77th Division (Sp ...

and the brigade became 211th Infantry Brigade. The 77th was later designated a Reserve Division. 211 Brigade was transferred to 80th Infantry (Reserve) Division on 2 January 1943. When the 80th was disbanded on 1 September 211 Brigade was redesignated 114th Infantry Brigade in 38th (Reserve) Division.Joslen, pp. 65–6, 103, 306. All these formations remained within the UK throughout the war.

Notes

References

* George Forty, ''British Army Handbook 1939–1945'', Stroud: Sutton Publishing, 1998, . *
Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth
{{British infantry brigades of the Second World War Military units and formations established in 1940 Infantry brigades of the British Army in World War II Military units and formations disestablished in 1944